About Lycian Way

A spectacular history and enchanting nature that reaches from Lycian civilization to the present.

Historical Lycian Way Project

Kate Clow, an English origin Turkish citizen is the mother of the project that made Lycian Way, with a history dating back to 4 B.C. come to sunlight again and become a spectacular track nested in nature and history. A 23 stages track of 509 km. starting from Fethiye and ending in Antalya has been created with the courtesy of Garanti Bank and Ministry of Culture of Turkish Republic and opened to public in 1999. It is listed as one of the world’s top ten walks by many resources.

Lycian Civilization: A history over 3000 years

The region is known to have hosted many human settlements since the prehistoric era and the first remains that belong to Lycian Civilization dates back over 1250 B.C. Looking back from where we stand, the region has a place in human history for over 3000 years. According to resources from ancient Egypt, lycians were allies of Hittites. After Hittites’s fall, Lycia became an independent kingdom comprising of three strong and united city-state federations.

First democracy in the history

From 546 B.C., Lycian civilization was ruled under Persian Empire and with the invasions of Alexander the Great, Macedonian Kingdom. Later Roman Empire dominated Lycians. The civilization saw an independent era from 168 B.C. to 43 A.D. And after becoming again a Roman state, Lycia survived in federal structure until 5th century, when it saw its end at the hands of Byzantium Empire.

Lycian League which is known to have been formed around 168 B.C. and governed by the votes of representatives of the city-states is considered as the first democratic civilization in human history. The larger cities that had survived until today, Patara (capital), Xanthos, Pinara, Tlos, Myra and Olympos each had rights to 3 votes whereas less important and small cities had rights to 1 or 2 votes.
Lycian Way ultra Marathon race course passes through and camps in such important and impressive antique cities.